Serving device



March 18, 1941. L. A. LEPPKE SERVING DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Lows A. LLPPKL.

ATTQRNEY.

March 18, 1941- L. A. LEPPKE SERVING DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY LOUIS A.LE.PPK]Z..

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to serving devices and particularly to devices for serving lunches and the like that have a plate with a well upstanding therefrom for retaining tumblers, cups and the like in an upright position.

Devices of this character are difiicult to stack and retain in a stacked position due to the fact that the well extends upwardly a greater distance than the thickness of the plate, and may extend upwardly beyond the plane of the upper rim of such plate.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a device of this character embodying means for retaining said devices in stacked position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character wherein-means on the bottom of same will fit into the top portion of the well of another device on which same may be placed to prevent said stacked devices from sliding laterally relative to one another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the stacking ring is spaced upwardly of the plane of the bottom of the plate to prevent interference with normal resting of the device on a table or the like.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device of this character of simple and durable construction and of low manufacturing cost.

Numerous other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following detailed description, which, taken in connection with the accompany- 35 m drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device having a tumbler uprightly retained in the well or socket thereof.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through two plates, one stacked on the other, with the upper plate having a tumbler in the socket thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, the device comprises a plate I 0 having a central integrally formed supporting member H upstanding therefrom a distance substantiall greater than the thickness of the plate and having a socket 12 therein, said socket being open at the top and tapering outwardly from the bottom to the top. Within the socket are a plurality of longitudinally-extending, annularly spaced, substantially vertical ribs 13. The socket 12 is adapted to receive the lower portion of a tumbler H! which is extensible therein and said ribs [3 are adapted to provide a slip grip with said tumbler to permit easy removal of same from the socket.

The bottom of the plate is provided with an upwardly extending recess l5, said recess being centrally positioned in the plate beneath the socket. Within the recess, and centrally positioned therein, is a depending annular ring IS, the plane of the bottom of said ring being spaced upwardly of the plane of the bottom of the plate so that when the bottom of the plate is resting on a table or the like the ring will be out of contact with said table. With this arrangement there is no possibility of the ring to contact the table and cause unsteadiness of the plate.

The ring is of such diameter that when the plates are stacked one on another the ring of an upper plate will be removably received in the upper portion of the socket of a lower plate as shown in Figure 3. The ring of the upper plate will contact the ribs I3 of the lower plate and will retain the plates in their stacked position and will prevent the upper plate from sliding off laterally from the lower plate.

Another advantage of my invention is that preparatory to serving a lunch sandwiches and the like may be placed on the respective plates which may then be stacked so that same may be carried to guests thus stacked and filled and then passed to the guests thus saving much time and inconvenience.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. The hereindescribed serving device comprising a. plate having a central integrally formed supporting member upstanding therefrom a distance substantially greater than the thickness of the plate and having a socket therein open at the top and tapering outwardly from the bottom to the top, a plurality of longitudinally extending vertical ribs in the socket spaced annularly therein, the bottom of the plate having an upwardly extending recess therein beneath the socket, and a depending annular stacking ring in the recess, the lower edge of said ring being spaced upwardly of the plane of the bottom 01 the plate, the rin of one plate being adapted to be removably received in the socket of a plate on which the former is stacked and said ring being adapted to contact the ribs of said socket, said ring being adapted to prevent a plate stacked on another plate from sliding therefrom.

2. The hereindescribed serving device comprising a plate having a central integrally formed supporting member upstanding therefrom a distance substantially greater than the thickness of the plate and having a socket therein open at the top, the bottom of the plate having an upwardly extending recess therein beneath the socket, and a depending annular stacking ring in the recess, the lower edge of said ring being spaced upwardly of the plane of the bottom of the plate, said stacking ring being adapted to be removably received in the upper portion of the socket to prevent stacked plates from sliding laterally relative to each other.

3. Thehereindescribed serving device comprising a plate having an integrally formed supporting member upstanding therefrom a distance substantially greater than the thickness of the plate and having a socket therein open at the top, the bottom of the plate having an upwardly extending recess therein beneath the socket, and a depending annular stacking ring in the recess, the ring of an upper stacked plate being adapted to be received in the upper portion of the socket of a lower stacked plate.

LOUIS A. LEPPKE. 

